Prayer (salat) literally means: Supplication, invoking Allah's blessings, asking His exaltation and forgiveness.
This word 'salat' (prayer) appears several times throughout the Qur'an in its general sense, as for instance the Prophet (s.a.w.) was addressed:
"Take charity out of their property, you would cleanse them and purify them thereby, and pray for them; surely your prayer is a tranquility to them, and Allah is Hearing, Knowing"
Holy Qur'an (9:103)
Here the word prayer acquired the meaning of supplication for goodness, benediction and purifications.
There is also a call to the faithful presented by way of exhorting the believers to offer their blessings and obedience to the Prophet (s.a.w.):
"Surely Allah and His angels bless the Prophet; O you who believe offer your blessings on him and submit to him in full submission".
Holy Qur'an (33:56)
The meaning of the verse is clear, The context of prayer here defines and clarifies the scope of Allah's compassion and blessings on the Prophet. In addition. the angels invoke Allah to purify and forgive the Prophet. while exhorting the believers to offer their blessings on him. Thus the believers say "O Allah. may Your blessings be upon Muhammad and his descendants.
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) used the word 'prayer' in his traditions and instructions in its literal sense. e.g. supplication, and invoking Allah's good and blessings. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said:
"Whoever of you is invited to food, let him accept the invitation, if he is fasting, he should offer his prayers"[1]
This is to invoke Allah's good and blessing on the hosts.
The Qur'an developed the meaning of prayer from the literal definition of supplication into a special usage, referring specifically to the Islamic rite consisting of particular actions and recitations in a formula related by the Prophet (s.a.w.) and outlined clearly by him. This is precisely the form of devotion which the prophet called upon the Muslims to safeguard its content, meaning and dynamic objectives.
The Prophet (s.a.w.) said:
"Perform your prayer as you have seen me performing it."[2]
The Qur'an refers to this mode of prayer in several verses such as:
"And keep up the prayer and pay zakat (the poor-due) and obey the Messenger that may be graced with mercy."
Holy Qur'an (24 56)
"....surely prayer is a timed ordinance for the believers".
Holy Qur'an (4:103) http://home.swipnet.se/islam/articles/prayer.htm
Purpose of Prayer
The main purpose of prayer is to lead one to do good, to refrain from evil, and to behave better towards others. If prayer does not have this effect on a person's daily life and conduct, it means that he or she is not performing prayers properly, in the way required by Islam.
The chief purpose of prayer in Islam is to act as a person's communication with God. By reciting "The Opening", the first chapter of the Qur'an, as required in all prayer, the worshipper can stand before God, thank and praise Him, and to ask for guidance along the Straight Path.
In addition, the daily prayers remind Muslims to give thanks for Allah's blessings and that Islam takes precedence over all other concerns, thereby revolving their life around Allah and submitting to His will. Prayer also serves as a formal method of remembering Allah, or dhikr [1].
In the Qur'an, it is written that: "The true believers are those who feel fear in their hearts (of the consequences of violating the commands of God) when God is mentioned. And when His Revelations are recited to them, they find their faith strengthened. They do their best and then put their trust in their Lord." [Qur'an8:2]
"To those whose hearts, when God is mentioned, are filled with fear, who show patient perseverance over their afflictions, keep up regular prayer, and spend (in charity) out of what We have bestowed upon them." [Qur'an22:35]
Prayer is also cited as a means of restraining a believer from social wrongs and moral deviancy. [Qur'an29:45] According to a hadith in the collection Sahih Bukhari, the prophet Muhammad considered salah "the best deed".[1]
There are different types of prayer in Islam. There is an informal prayer and a formal prayer.
Prayers are said at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and nightfall, and thus determine the rhythm of the entire day. Although it is preferable to worship together in a mosque, a Muslim may pray almost anywhere, such as in fields, offices, factories and universities. Visitors to the Muslim world are struck by the centrality of prayers in daily life.
A translation of the Call to Prayer is:
God is most great. God is most great.
God is most great. God is most great.
I testify that there is no god except God.
I testify that there is no god except God.
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
Come to prayer! Come to prayer!
Come to success (in this life and the Hereafter)!
Come to success!
God is most great. God is most great.
There is no god except God. http://www.islamicity.com/mosque/uiatm/un_islam.htm
Formal Prayer
Salah is one of the five pillars of Islam (Sunni) Salah is the daily prayer of Islam.
Any clean place may be chosen for prayer, although when possible Muslims are encouraged to pray with others at a mosque.
The salat begins with a call to prayer often recited from the minarets that adorn a mosque, inviting the believers to hasten to the virtuous act of prayer.
The devotee typically rolls out his prayer-rug, stands reverentially and offers certain prayers; bows down toward Mecca with hands on knees, to offer to Allah less a petition than ascriptions of praise and declarations of submission to his holy will; then straightens up again, still praising Allah; then falls prostrate, kneeling with his head to the ground, glorifying God the while; then sits up reverentially and offers a petition: and finally bows down once more.
Throughout, the sacred sentence Allah akbar ("God is the greatest") is repeated again and again.
The pattern of salat may be divided into seven steps:
1. The first step consists of facing the qiblah (Mecca), raising one's hands to the ears, and pronouncing the takbir, or recitation of praise: "God is Great" ("Allahu Akbar"). The worshiper remains silent, readying his attention for the performance of the prayer.
2. During the second step, known as the "standing," the chapter al-Fatiha is recited together with additional verses from the Quran.
Fatiha, the Muslim Lord's Prayer. (Sura 1):
Praise belongs to God, the Lord of all Being,
the All-merciful, the All-compassionate,
the Master of the Day of Doom.
Thee only we serve; to Thee alone we pray for succour.
Guide us in the straight path,
the path of those whom Thou hast blessed,
not of those against whom Thou art wrathful,
nor of those who are astray.
3. With the recitation of another takbir, the worshiper bows, with his hands on his knees, and in this bent position, praises God.
4. After assuming the standing position, the worshiper prostrates himself, with his head touching the ground, as a sign of humility and submission.
5. The fifth step involves raising oneself from prostration while reciting another takbir and remaining in a sitting position, praying.
6. There follows another act of prostration, when the praises of God are repeated.
7. The final step involves the sitting position and silent recitation of prayer, after which the individual worshipers turn their faces to the right and the left to greet their neighbors. This greeting, or salam, concludes the prayer proper. However, it must be noted that where additional rakahs are to be said, the first six steps are always repeated.
Thus the process of prayer involves:
The words of supplication and praise, the postures of submission and the acts of cleansing
The informal prayer is simply asking or calling out to Allah for whatever reason. This is generally called dua. There are no special rules or format to making a dua. A person can make a dua before a job interview, or before a test. One can also make dua asking Allah for health, wealth, sustenance, ease, or whatever else one may need.
Dhikr (the remembrance of God) and du'a (voluntary prayer) are the other forms of worship in Islam. In contrast to salat, which is a required duty, Dhikr (remembrance) is voluntary and complements ritual prayer. It provides an opportunity for contemplation within the heart, and a way of drawing closer to God. Dhikr draws the individual inwards, creating an inner sense of harmony and peace. The Koran emphasizes this aspect in the verse that states:
"Surely in the remembrance of Allah, do hearts find peace" (13:28).
The essence of such prayers is praise rather than petitioning, an attempt to go beyond the requirements of ritual worship by adoring God. One of the best known examples of such an attitude is reflected in the saying attributed to a Muslim woman called Rabia, who lived in the eighth century C.E.:
My Lord, if I worship Thee from fear of Hell, burn me in Hell, and
if I worship Thee from hope of Paradise, exclude me from Paradise, but
if I worship Thee for Thine own sake, then withhold not from me Thine Eternal Beauty.
Dhikr is explained by Al-Ghazali in a passage that has been summarized by D. B. Macdonald and cited in 'A Moslem Seeker After God' as follows:
Let the worshipper reduce his heart to a state in which the existence of anything and its non-existence are the same to him. Then let him sit alone in some corner, limiting his religious duties to what is absolutely necessary, and not occupying himself either with reciting the Koran or considering its meaning or with books of religious traditions or with anything of the sort. And let him see to it that nothing save God most High enters his mind. Then, as he sits in solitude, let him not cease saying continuously with his tongue, "Allah, Allah," keeping his thought on it. At last he will reach a state when the motion of his tongue will cease, and it will seem as though the word flowed from it. Let him persevere in this until all trace of motion is removed from his tongue, and he finds his heart persevering in the thought. Let him still persevere until the form of the word, its letters and shape, is removed from his heart, and there remains the idea alone, as though clinging to his heart, inseparable from it. So far, all is dependent on his will and choice; but to bring the mercy of God does not stand in his will or choice. He has now laid himself bare to the breathings of that mercy, and nothing remains but to wait what God will open to him, as God has done after this manner to prophets and saints. If he follows the above course, he may be sure that the light of the Real will shine out in his heart.
These acts of worship, representing the devotional spirit in Islam, bring believers into daily communication with the Creator. http://islamiclearningmaterials.com/islamic-prayers/
Contemplative/Meditative prayer
Sufi whirling, or the practice of dhikr has originated based upon purpose of granting the worshipper "the thought of the unseen world and of his dependence upon it."[4] This practice of dhikr coincides with the Islamic principle of tawhid as the realization of Allah's oneness and role as sole creator is essential to Islamic belief. The three essential principles of Islam: tawhid, resurrection and prophethood are all evident within the practice of dhikr. The origin of Sufism sprouted from the Prophet himself, the practice of dhikr brings one to a greater understanding of Allah and tawhid, in a trance like state striving for a "glimpse of the unseen world," not dissimilar from the afterlife.
Dhikr"Remembrance of Allah" A dervish practices multiple rituals, the primary of which is the dhikr, a remembering of Allah.[3] Thedhikr involves recitation of devotional Islamic prayer. This dhikr is coupled with physical exertions of movement, specifically dancing and whirling, in order to reach a state assumed by outsiders to be one of "ecstatic trances" but which is actually one, not of trance, but of great lucidity and clarity. Among the Mevlevi order, the practice of dhikr is performed in a traditional dress: a tennure, a sleeveless white frock, the destegul, a long sleeved jacket, a belt, and a black overcoat or khirqa to be removed before the whirling begins. As the ritual dance begins, the dervish dons a felt cap, a sikke, in addition to a turban wrapped around the head, a trademark of the Mevlevi order. The sheikh leads the ritual with strict regulations. To begin,
The sheikh stands in the most honored corner of the dancing place, and the dervishes pass by him three times, each time exchanging greetings, until the circling movement starts. The rotation itself is on the left foot, the center of the rotation being the ball of the left foot and the whole surface of the foot staying in contact with the floor. The impetus for the rotation is provided by the right foot, in a full 360-degree step. If a dervish should become too enraptured, another Sufi, who is in charge of the orderly performance, will gently touch his frock in order to curb his movement, The dance of the dervishes is one of the most impressive features of the mystical life in Islam, and the music accompanying it is of exquisite beauty, beginning with the great hymn in honor of the Prophet (na't-i sharif, written by Jalaluddin himself) and ending with short, enthusiastic songs, some things sung in Turkish.
The Western world, having witnessed Sufi whirling through tourism, have described the various forms of dhikr as "barking, howling, dancing, etc." The practice of each tariqa is unique to its individual order, specific traditions and customs may differ across countries. The same tariqa in one country will not mirror that of another country as each order's ritual stresses "emotional religious life" in various forms. The Mevleviyah order, like many others, practice the dhikr by performing a whirling meditation. Accompanying the dhikrpractices of whirling and prayer, the custom of sama serves to further one's "nourishment of the soul" through devotional "hearing" of the "'subtle' sounds of the hidden world or of the cosmos." In contrast to the use of sama, whirling and devotional prayer in the practice ofdhikr, the tariqa orders perform Sufi whirling in addition to playing musical instruments, consuming glowing embers, live scorpions and glass, puncturing body parts with needles and spikes, or practicing clairvoyance and levitation. The dervish practice can be performed by community residents or lay members, members have typically been those of lower classes. Within Islamic faith, unlike Middle Eastern law, women have equal status to men, allowing women to participate in dhikr as dervishes themselves.Women were received into a tariqa order by a male sheikh, but traditionally were instructed to practice the dhikr alone or with an established branch of females within a specific order. Sufi whirling, a worship of dhikr, became a gender and class neutral practice throughout the Central Islamic region.
The custom of sama among Sufi orders has a history of controversy within the Islamic faith. In one argument, the use of the term sama is considered to suggest physically "listening" in a spiritual context. A differing opinion argues that sama is in fact "hearing", as "to hear" can pertain to any sound in addition to any "subtle" sounds of the spiritual realm. Those in support of sama further claim that the term is actually synonymous with "understanding" and therefore recognition and application of the Revelation as well as the act of "attaining higher knowledge.” The spread of sama among Sufi orders began some time around the mid 3rd/9th century C.E. in Baghdad, eventually finding acceptance and favor in Persian, Turkish and Indian Islam. The custom of sama evolved in practice over time as it complimented Sufi dhkir, whirling and among some orders dancing and a meal. Rules of propriety and conditions were adopted upon the widespread concern surrounding the necessity of sama with the dhikr; in order to distinguish between entertainment and valuable spiritual practice, the sama was distinguished as heard from the ego, heart or spirit. Despite the application of rules, some sheikhs continued to limit or disapprove the practice of sama. While controversy continuously questioned the place of sama in Sufi orders, the music itself was not effected. More recently, the custom of sama is most commonly performed within a dhikr ceremony. Those in support of sama continue to argue that "according to that which it is not sama and dance which induce ectasy, but ecstasy which arouses dance, or furthermore, that sama is only a revealing instrument and that it only supplies that which is brought to it by the hearer."
Some basic prayer types which includes prayers which aim to: PRAISE, GIVE THANKS, PETITION, REFLECTION, OR ASK FORGIVENESS
The expressions are given in Arabic first, with English transliteration, followed by meaning and appropriate occasion of use.
Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem.
In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
This should be recited before beginning any task.
Aaoozobillahe minushaitanir rajeem.
I seek refuge with Allah from Satan, the accursed.
This should be said before beginning recitation of the Holy Qur'an, together with Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem. Also used to ward off bad thoughts, loss of temper or evil. Rabbe zidni ilma.
O Lord, increase my knowledge.
This short prayer may be said before reading the Holy Qur'an or before any type of study. Subhaan Allah.
Glory to Allah.
To express admiration or praise for Allah. Alhamdo lillah.
All praise belongs to Allah.
Use this to show appreciation of Allah's blessings; e.g., when you receive good news, or whenever you wish to praise Allah. Allaho akbar.
Allah is the Greatest.
This is used in azaan and salaat, and also be said any time in praise of Allah. Subhaan Allah, Alhamdo lillah, Allaho Akbar.
Glory to Allah, all praise belongs to Allah, Allah is the Greatest.
These three expressions are repeated after finishing salaat. The first two are said 33 times and the third should be said 34 times, making 100 in all. Prayer beads or fingers may be used to keep count. Allaho Akbar, Allaho Akbar, la illaha illaha illalaho, wa Allaho Akbar, Allaho Akbar wa lillahil hamd.
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest; there is no God but Allah, and Allah is the Greatest; Allah is the Greatest and all praise belongs to Allah.
This is a takbeer which is recited repeatedly on the way to and from Eid Prayer. It is also recited for three days following Eid after every prayer. This follows a tradition of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). Astaghferullaha Rabbi min kulle zumbin wa atoobo ileh.
I seek forgiveness from Allah for all my sins and turn to Him.
Can be used anytime to ask forgiveness from Allah. It is also repeated after finishing salaat to beg forgiveness for lapses in concentration during salaat. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said it seventy times a day. Astaghferullah.
I seek forgiveness from Allah.
A shortened version of the above prayer. Assalamo alaikum wa rahmatullahe wa barakatohu.
Peace be on you and the mercy and blessings of Allah.
This prayer is used by Muslims to greet each other. The shortened version assalamo alaikum can be used also. Wa alaikum salaam.
And peace be on you too.
This expression is the reply to the above greeting. Fee amaan Allah.
In the protection of Allah.
You say this when you see anyone off on a journey. Inshallah.
If Allah so wills.
This should be said when talking of future plans. Maashallah.
As Allah willed.
This is said when praising a person or object. Jazakallaho ahsanal jaza.
May Allah reward you the best.
This is the most common form of "thank you." It is said after receiving any kind of favor. Barakallaho fee ahleka wa maleka.
May Allah bless your family and wealth.
You say this to someone who gives you a gift, a prize or money. Alhamdo lillah
All praise belongs to Allah.
Yerhamo komullaho.
May Allah be merciful to you.
Yahdeekomullaho.
May He guide you.
These three prayers are used after a person sneezes. The person who has sneezed should say the first one after sneezing. If anyone hears him/her, they should reply with the second one. The person who sneezed then says the third prayer. Subhana Rabbe yal Aa'la.
Glory to my Lord the most High.
This said is said when in prostration during salaat; when you hear the first verse of Chapter Al Aa'la of the Holy Qur'an recited; and whenever Heaven or Hell are mentioned. Sajada laka roohi wa janaani.
My spirit and heart prostrate for You.
Some verses of the Holy Qur'an require prostration after their recitation. No ablution is required, and in whatever position or wherever you are, say Allaho akbar and prostrate. Recite subhana Rabbe yal Aa'la three times followed by this prayer. Then lift your head saying Allaho akbar. Inna lillahe wa inna ilaihe raajeoon.
Surely we belong to Allah and to Him we return.
We say this on hearing of the death of someone. It is also said when trying to find something you have lost, and upon hearing any bad news. Alaisallaho bekaafin abdohu.
Is Allah not sufficient for His servant?
These words of the Holy Qur'an were revealed to the Promised Messiah (peace be on him) when he was grieving over the death of his father. He had these words inscribed on a ring, and Ahmadi Muslims like to follow this tradition. Sallaho alaihe wa sallum.
Peace and blessings of Allah be on him.
Whenever you hear the name of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) mentioned, you should say this blessing aloud. Alaiaihissalaam.
Peace be on him.
This should be said after mention of the name of any prophet of God. Razi Allaho ta'ala anho/anha.
May Allah be pleased with him/her.
These blessings are said after the mention of the names of the companions of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) or of the Promised Messiah (peace be on him). Rahmatullahe alaihe.
May Allah have mercy on him.
This is said when referring to Khalifas of the Promised Messiah who are not his companions, and to saints of Islam.
Mysticism Sufism or taṣawwuf (Arabic: تصوّف) is, according to its adherents, the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a ṣūfī (صُوفِيّ). Another name for a Sufi is Dervish.
Classical Sufi scholars have defined Sufism as "a science whose objective is the reparation of the heart and turning it away from all else but God."Alternatively, in the words of the Darqawi Sufi teacher Ahmad ibn Ajiba, "a science through which one can know how to travel into the presence of the Divine, purify one’s inner self from filth, and beautify it with a variety of praiseworthy traits."
Classical Sufis were characterised by their attachment to dhikr (a practice of repeating the names of God) and asceticism. Sufism gained adherents among a number of Muslims as a reaction against the worldliness of the early Umayyad Caliphate (661-750 CE). The Sufi movement has spanned several continents and cultures over a millennium, at first expressed through Arabic, then through Persian, Turkish and a dozen other languages."Orders" (ṭuruq), which are either Sunnī or Shī‘ī in doctrine, trace many of their original precepts from the Islamic ProphetMuhammad through his cousin‘Alī, with the notable exception of the Naqshbandi who trace their origins through the first Caliph, Abu Bakr. Other exclusive schools of Sufism describe themselves as distinctly Sufi.
According to Idries Shah, the Sufi philosophy is universal in nature, its roots predating the arising of Islam and the other modern-day religions; likewise, some Muslims consider Sufism outside the sphere of Islam. Mainstream scholars of Islam, however, contend that it is simply the name for the inner or esoteric dimension of Islam.
A particular spirituality
Islamic spirituality is totally based on One God, which in Arabic language refers to Almighty Allah. Arab Jews, Arab Christians and Arab Muslims equally use the name of Almighty Allah alike. With mounting tension between Arabs and Zionist communities, many Jews have immigrated to Jewish state of Israel where Hebrew names for Allah refers to Elohim. Similarly, in Persia, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh (Almighty) Allah is often translated or referred as Qhuda, which is a Persian word for The God. In totality, all Muslims would use (Almighty) Allah, as a Qur’anic world for The God and none among them would have any reason to differ. Thus Muslims believe in One God (Allah) Who is One, Who begets not, Who is not begotten, Who is without any partner, Who Created whole universe, Who is The Master of the Day of Judgement, Who gives life and takes life, Who is Omnipotent and all of us shall return to Him for the final judgement on our fate. Almighty Allah is The God of first man Adam (PBUH) and The God of whole Mankind and Universe. Thus Islamic spirituality begins with "I bear witness that there is no deity worth of worshipping other than The God (Allah) Who is One – Who has no partner – and I bear witness that Muhammad (SAW) is His (Beloved) Servant and (Last) Messenger". With reference to The Last Testament, the Muslim spiritual reads, recites, understands and strives to mould him / her as per the commands of Almighty Alloh. The basic spirituality starts with the following verse, which encompasses the level spirituality step by step: The detailed discussion on Islamic spirituality is in Chapter 07 - The Spiritual Intelligence.
Alif Laam Meem: This scripture (The Qur’an) is infallible; beacons for the righteous; who believe in the unseen, observe the Contact Prayers (Salat Al Qhamisa), and from our provisions to them, they give to charity. And they believe in what was revealed to you (Oh Muhammad), and in what was revealed before you (Torah, Psalm and Gospel), and with regard to the Hereafter (after the day of Judgement), they are absolutely certain. These are guided by their Lord; these are the winners (in this world and The Hereafter) {The Qur’an – Surah Al Baqarah (Chapter: The Heifer) 02: 01 – 05}.
Islamic spirituality is based upon the conviction that what appears to us as mystery revealed itself as being Almighty One God (Almighty Alloh). The Last Testament Qur'an is this revelation. The Qur'an instructs us in the foundational importance of awareness of “The God” and the proper response to His Almighty. The Sunnah lifestyle or practice, of The Last Messenger Muhammad (SAW) expresses and exemplifies this Qur'anic awareness of, and response to Almighty Alloh within actual, historical, phenomenal reality. This is the soul, heart and foundation of Islamic spirituality. The Last Messenger and Last Prophet: Muhammad (SAW) is considered to be a "Walking Qur'an".
Islamic spirituality fosters Alloh’s-consciousness, called Taquwa (Piety), in and through all daily activities in addition to activities we usually identify as Rouhaaniah(spiritual) such as belief in One God, Contact Prayers, fasting, Pilgrimage and charity. It shuns any extremes. The religion of The God (Alloh) is Islam (Peace), which envisages for Mankind and Jinnkind obedience for his life as a whole, for the material world as well as for the spiritual world. The word "Islam" means "submission to the will of Almighty Alloh " from where one attains peace of mind materially and spiritually. Sometimes it is also referred as Peace (within and with Almighty Alloh). It is thus not even a religion as we usually think of the term. It is more of an existential way-of-being in this finish-able worldly life. Both aspects of life combined form the backbone of a believer and there is no gap between the two; otherwise a man shall wonder in wilderness of this life half hungry, half hopeful and undecided of his certainty for the life wherever it matters. But there is no denying the fact that owing to differences of individual temperaments, certain people would specialize in certain specialties and not in others though they would never be aloof of other parts, which remains a dormant part of their life. Even if one were to concentrate on the spiritual side of one's existence, he would still remain more or less attached to the other occupations of life for his day to day nourishments, for the sake of self-strength, societal obligations and to provide for the path of Almighty Alloh by helping the needy of the society. Materialism would not be seen as a dominant aspect of the life but its existence would form a very part of such people, otherwise they could cease to exist. What matters to them is what is necessary for the life and luxury hardly touches their interest. Thus the most important aspect of an Islamic spiritual life is to impart a preventive relief to sustain day to day life before an incident or disaster so that such events are prevented as well as to be ready for a relief aftermath of such events so that the needy servants of Almighty Alloh are not left alone but find comfort and assistance from their fellow brothers and humans with in a society.
Islamic spirituality does not gauge its development and growth upon subjective experience, but on the degree to which one abides with The Last Testament Qur’an,Sunnah Al Mu’akki’dah and on optional basis Sunnah Al A’daat. Evil is that which iscontra to “The Qur'an” and Sunnah- it has nothing to do with subjective experiences of pleasure or pain, laughter or tears, nor does it have to do with social experiences such as riches or poverty. All of these social and subjective states are somewhat equivalent in Islam. They all originate by the will of Almighty Alloh for the purpose of testing the Muslim's use of freedom. The Muslim submits to the will of Almighty Alloh with patience.
Islamic spirituality encourages science and scholarship in that “The Qur'an” repeatedly exhorts humanity to observe the signs of Almighty Alloh in creation, in history, and in one's self. It also encourages social activism. That is, jihad- the struggle of good against evil. Any Jihad, which creates terror in the non-combatant, non-aggressive civilian society, is never a Jihad but a blatant terrorism and Muslim scholars must condemn such activity with the cooperation of their governments and peace loving public.
“The Qur'an” is more than a book of laws, but a tool for spiritual advancement, moral advancement and clinical therapy for the sick. http://www.qamrulkhanson.net/page_1142629157300.html Peace-makers in the world
The definition of Prayer
Prayer is form of communication, a way of talking to God or to the saints.
http://catholicism.about.com/od/prayers/f/What_Is_Prayer.htm
How does that religion define prayer
Prayer (salat) literally means: Supplication, invoking Allah's blessings, asking His exaltation and forgiveness.
This word 'salat' (prayer) appears several times throughout the Qur'an in its general sense, as for instance the Prophet (s.a.w.) was addressed:
"Take charity out of their property, you would cleanse them and purify them thereby, and pray for them; surely your prayer is a tranquility to them, and Allah is Hearing, Knowing"
Holy Qur'an (9:103)
Here the word prayer acquired the meaning of supplication for goodness, benediction and purifications.
There is also a call to the faithful presented by way of exhorting the believers to offer their blessings and obedience to the Prophet (s.a.w.):
"Surely Allah and His angels bless the Prophet; O you who believe offer your blessings on him and submit to him in full submission".
Holy Qur'an (33:56)
The meaning of the verse is clear, The context of prayer here defines and clarifies the scope of Allah's compassion and blessings on the Prophet. In addition. the angels invoke Allah to purify and forgive the Prophet. while exhorting the believers to offer their blessings on him. Thus the believers say "O Allah. may Your blessings be upon Muhammad and his descendants.
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) used the word 'prayer' in his traditions and instructions in its literal sense. e.g. supplication, and invoking Allah's good and blessings. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said:
"Whoever of you is invited to food, let him accept the invitation, if he is fasting, he should offer his prayers"[1]
This is to invoke Allah's good and blessing on the hosts.
The Qur'an developed the meaning of prayer from the literal definition of supplication into a special usage, referring specifically to the Islamic rite consisting of particular actions and recitations in a formula related by the Prophet (s.a.w.) and outlined clearly by him. This is precisely the form of devotion which the prophet called upon the Muslims to safeguard its content, meaning and dynamic objectives.
The Prophet (s.a.w.) said:
"Perform your prayer as you have seen me performing it."[2]
The Qur'an refers to this mode of prayer in several verses such as:
"And keep up the prayer and pay zakat (the poor-due) and obey the Messenger that may be graced with mercy."
Holy Qur'an (24 56)
"....surely prayer is a timed ordinance for the believers".
Holy Qur'an (4:103)
http://home.swipnet.se/islam/articles/prayer.htm
Purpose of Prayer
The main purpose of prayer is to lead one to do good, to refrain from evil, and to behave better towards others. If prayer does not have this effect on a person's daily life and conduct, it means that he or she is not performing prayers properly, in the way required by Islam.
The chief purpose of prayer in Islam is to act as a person's communication with God. By reciting "The Opening", the first chapter of the Qur'an, as required in all prayer, the worshipper can stand before God, thank and praise Him, and to ask for guidance along the Straight Path.
In addition, the daily prayers remind Muslims to give thanks for Allah's blessings and that Islam takes precedence over all other concerns, thereby revolving their life around Allah and submitting to His will. Prayer also serves as a formal method of remembering Allah, or dhikr [1].
In the Qur'an, it is written that: "The true believers are those who feel fear in their hearts (of the consequences of violating the commands of God) when God is mentioned. And when His Revelations are recited to them, they find their faith strengthened. They do their best and then put their trust in their Lord." [Qur'an 8:2]
"To those whose hearts, when God is mentioned, are filled with fear, who show patient perseverance over their afflictions, keep up regular prayer, and spend (in charity) out of what We have bestowed upon them." [Qur'an 22:35]
Prayer is also cited as a means of restraining a believer from social wrongs and moral deviancy. [Qur'an 29:45] According to a hadith in the collection Sahih Bukhari, the prophet Muhammad considered salah "the best deed".[1]
http://www.muslim.org/islam/int-is41.htm
Ways of Praying/Patterns of praying
There are different types of prayer in Islam. There is an informal prayer and a formal prayer.
Prayers are said at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and nightfall, and thus determine the rhythm of the entire day. Although it is preferable to worship together in a mosque, a Muslim may pray almost anywhere, such as in fields, offices, factories and universities. Visitors to the Muslim world are struck by the centrality of prayers in daily life.
A translation of the Call to Prayer is:
God is most great. God is most great.
God is most great. God is most great.
I testify that there is no god except God.
I testify that there is no god except God.
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
Come to prayer! Come to prayer!
Come to success (in this life and the Hereafter)!
Come to success!
God is most great. God is most great.
There is no god except God.
http://www.islamicity.com/mosque/uiatm/un_islam.htm
Formal Prayer
Salah is one of the five pillars of Islam (Sunni) Salah is the daily prayer of Islam.
Any clean place may be chosen for prayer, although when possible Muslims are encouraged to pray with others at a mosque.
The salat begins with a call to prayer often recited from the minarets that adorn a mosque, inviting the believers to hasten to the virtuous act of prayer.
The devotee typically rolls out his prayer-rug, stands reverentially and offers certain prayers; bows down toward Mecca with hands on knees, to offer to Allah less a petition than ascriptions of praise and declarations of submission to his holy will; then straightens up again, still praising Allah; then falls prostrate, kneeling with his head to the ground, glorifying God the while; then sits up reverentially and offers a petition: and finally bows down once more.
Throughout, the sacred sentence Allah akbar ("God is the greatest") is repeated again and again.
The pattern of salat may be divided into seven steps:
1. The first step consists of facing the qiblah (Mecca), raising one's hands to the ears, and pronouncing the takbir, or recitation of praise: "God is Great" ("Allahu Akbar"). The worshiper remains silent, readying his attention for the performance of the prayer.
2. During the second step, known as the "standing," the chapter al-Fatiha is recited together with additional verses from the Quran.
Fatiha, the Muslim Lord's Prayer. (Sura 1):
Praise belongs to God, the Lord of all Being,
the All-merciful, the All-compassionate,
the Master of the Day of Doom.
Thee only we serve; to Thee alone we pray for succour.
Guide us in the straight path,
the path of those whom Thou hast blessed,
not of those against whom Thou art wrathful,
nor of those who are astray.
3. With the recitation of another takbir, the worshiper bows, with his hands on his knees, and in this bent position, praises God.
4. After assuming the standing position, the worshiper prostrates himself, with his head touching the ground, as a sign of humility and submission.
5. The fifth step involves raising oneself from prostration while reciting another takbir and remaining in a sitting position, praying.
6. There follows another act of prostration, when the praises of God are repeated.
7. The final step involves the sitting position and silent recitation of prayer, after which the individual worshipers turn their faces to the right and the left to greet their neighbors. This greeting, or salam, concludes the prayer proper. However, it must be noted that where additional rakahs are to be said, the first six steps are always repeated.
Thus the process of prayer involves:
- The words of supplication and praise, the postures of submission and the acts of cleansing
These, together, symbolize the meaning of true worship, integrating the Muslim into a rhythm of universal adoration.http://1stholistic.com/Prayer/hol_islam-prayer-salat-dhikr-dua.htm
Informal Prayer
The informal prayer is simply asking or calling out to Allah for whatever reason. This is generally called dua. There are no special rules or format to making a dua. A person can make a dua before a job interview, or before a test. One can also make dua asking Allah for health, wealth, sustenance, ease, or whatever else one may need.
Dhikr (the remembrance of God) and du'a (voluntary prayer) are the other forms of worship in Islam. In contrast to salat, which is a required duty, Dhikr (remembrance) is voluntary and complements ritual prayer. It provides an opportunity for contemplation within the heart, and a way of drawing closer to God. Dhikr draws the individual inwards, creating an inner sense of harmony and peace. The Koran emphasizes this aspect in the verse that states:
"Surely in the remembrance of Allah, do hearts find peace" (13:28).
The essence of such prayers is praise rather than petitioning, an attempt to go beyond the requirements of ritual worship by adoring God. One of the best known examples of such an attitude is reflected in the saying attributed to a Muslim woman called Rabia, who lived in the eighth century C.E.:
My Lord, if I worship Thee from fear of Hell, burn me in Hell, and
if I worship Thee from hope of Paradise, exclude me from Paradise, but
if I worship Thee for Thine own sake, then withhold not from me Thine Eternal Beauty.
Dhikr is explained by Al-Ghazali in a passage that has been summarized by D. B. Macdonald and cited in 'A Moslem Seeker After God' as follows:
Let the worshipper reduce his heart to a state in which the existence of anything and its non-existence are the same to him. Then let him sit alone in some corner, limiting his religious duties to what is absolutely necessary, and not occupying himself either with reciting the Koran or considering its meaning or with books of religious traditions or with anything of the sort. And let him see to it that nothing save God most High enters his mind. Then, as he sits in solitude, let him not cease saying continuously with his tongue, "Allah, Allah," keeping his thought on it. At last he will reach a state when the motion of his tongue will cease, and it will seem as though the word flowed from it. Let him persevere in this until all trace of motion is removed from his tongue, and he finds his heart persevering in the thought. Let him still persevere until the form of the word, its letters and shape, is removed from his heart, and there remains the idea alone, as though clinging to his heart, inseparable from it. So far, all is dependent on his will and choice; but to bring the mercy of God does not stand in his will or choice. He has now laid himself bare to the breathings of that mercy, and nothing remains but to wait what God will open to him, as God has done after this manner to prophets and saints. If he follows the above course, he may be sure that the light of the Real will shine out in his heart.
These acts of worship, representing the devotional spirit in Islam, bring believers into daily communication with the Creator.
http://islamiclearningmaterials.com/islamic-prayers/
Contemplative/Meditative prayer
Sufi whirling, or the practice of dhikr has originated based upon purpose of granting the worshipper "the thought of the unseen world and of his dependence upon it."[4] This practice of dhikr coincides with the Islamic principle of tawhid as the realization of Allah's oneness and role as sole creator is essential to Islamic belief. The three essential principles of Islam: tawhid, resurrection and prophethood are all evident within the practice of dhikr. The origin of Sufism sprouted from the Prophet himself, the practice of dhikr brings one to a greater understanding of Allah and tawhid, in a trance like state striving for a "glimpse of the unseen world," not dissimilar from the afterlife.
Dhikr "Remembrance of Allah"
A dervish practices multiple rituals, the primary of which is the dhikr, a remembering of Allah.[3] Thedhikr involves recitation of devotional Islamic prayer. This dhikr is coupled with physical exertions of movement, specifically dancing and whirling, in order to reach a state assumed by outsiders to be one of "ecstatic trances" but which is actually one, not of trance, but of great lucidity and clarity. Among the Mevlevi order, the practice of dhikr is performed in a traditional dress: a tennure, a sleeveless white frock, the destegul, a long sleeved jacket, a belt, and a black overcoat or khirqa to be removed before the whirling begins. As the ritual dance begins, the dervish dons a felt cap, a sikke, in addition to a turban wrapped around the head, a trademark of the Mevlevi order. The sheikh leads the ritual with strict regulations. To begin,
The sheikh stands in the most honored corner of the dancing place, and the dervishes pass by him three times, each time exchanging greetings, until the circling movement starts. The rotation itself is on the left foot, the center of the rotation being the ball of the left foot and the whole surface of the foot staying in contact with the floor. The impetus for the rotation is provided by the right foot, in a full 360-degree step. If a dervish should become too enraptured, another Sufi, who is in charge of the orderly performance, will gently touch his frock in order to curb his movement, The dance of the dervishes is one of the most impressive features of the mystical life in Islam, and the music accompanying it is of exquisite beauty, beginning with the great hymn in honor of the Prophet (na't-i sharif, written by Jalaluddin himself) and ending with short, enthusiastic songs, some things sung in Turkish.
The Western world, having witnessed Sufi whirling through tourism, have described the various forms of dhikr as "barking, howling, dancing, etc." The practice of each tariqa is unique to its individual order, specific traditions and customs may differ across countries. The same tariqa in one country will not mirror that of another country as each order's ritual stresses "emotional religious life" in various forms. The Mevleviyah order, like many others, practice the dhikr by performing a whirling meditation. Accompanying the dhikrpractices of whirling and prayer, the custom of sama serves to further one's "nourishment of the soul" through devotional "hearing" of the "'subtle' sounds of the hidden world or of the cosmos." In contrast to the use of sama, whirling and devotional prayer in the practice ofdhikr, the tariqa orders perform Sufi whirling in addition to playing musical instruments, consuming glowing embers, live scorpions and glass, puncturing body parts with needles and spikes, or practicing clairvoyance and levitation. The dervish practice can be performed by community residents or lay members, members have typically been those of lower classes. Within Islamic faith, unlike Middle Eastern law, women have equal status to men, allowing women to participate in dhikr as dervishes themselves.Women were received into a tariqa order by a male sheikh, but traditionally were instructed to practice the dhikr alone or with an established branch of females within a specific order. Sufi whirling, a worship of dhikr, became a gender and class neutral practice throughout the Central Islamic region.
Sama "Nourishment of the soul"
The custom of sama among Sufi orders has a history of controversy within the Islamic faith. In one argument, the use of the term sama is considered to suggest physically "listening" in a spiritual context. A differing opinion argues that sama is in fact "hearing", as "to hear" can pertain to any sound in addition to any "subtle" sounds of the spiritual realm. Those in support of sama further claim that the term is actually synonymous with "understanding" and therefore recognition and application of the Revelation as well as the act of "attaining higher knowledge.” The spread of sama among Sufi orders began some time around the mid 3rd/9th century C.E. in Baghdad, eventually finding acceptance and favor in Persian, Turkish and Indian Islam. The custom of sama evolved in practice over time as it complimented Sufi dhkir, whirling and among some orders dancing and a meal. Rules of propriety and conditions were adopted upon the widespread concern surrounding the necessity of sama with the dhikr; in order to distinguish between entertainment and valuable spiritual practice, the sama was distinguished as heard from the ego, heart or spirit. Despite the application of rules, some sheikhs continued to limit or disapprove the practice of sama. While controversy continuously questioned the place of sama in Sufi orders, the music itself was not effected. More recently, the custom of sama is most commonly performed within a dhikr ceremony. Those in support of sama continue to argue that "according to that which it is not sama and dance which induce ectasy, but ecstasy which arouses dance, or furthermore, that sama is only a revealing instrument and that it only supplies that which is brought to it by the hearer."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sufi_whirling
Some basic prayer types which includes prayers which aim to:
PRAISE, GIVE THANKS, PETITION, REFLECTION, OR ASK FORGIVENESS
The expressions are given in Arabic first, with English transliteration, followed by meaning and appropriate occasion of use.
Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem.
In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
This should be recited before beginning any task.
Aaoozobillahe minushaitanir rajeem.
I seek refuge with Allah from Satan, the accursed.
This should be said before beginning recitation of the Holy Qur'an, together with Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem. Also used to ward off bad thoughts, loss of temper or evil.
Rabbe zidni ilma.
O Lord, increase my knowledge.
This short prayer may be said before reading the Holy Qur'an or before any type of study.
Subhaan Allah.
Glory to Allah.
To express admiration or praise for Allah.
Alhamdo lillah.
All praise belongs to Allah.
Use this to show appreciation of Allah's blessings; e.g., when you receive good news, or whenever you wish to praise Allah.
Allaho akbar.
Allah is the Greatest.
This is used in azaan and salaat, and also be said any time in praise of Allah.
Subhaan Allah, Alhamdo lillah, Allaho Akbar.
Glory to Allah, all praise belongs to Allah, Allah is the Greatest.
These three expressions are repeated after finishing salaat. The first two are said 33 times and the third should be said 34 times, making 100 in all. Prayer beads or fingers may be used to keep count.
Allaho Akbar, Allaho Akbar, la illaha illaha illalaho, wa Allaho Akbar, Allaho Akbar wa lillahil hamd.
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest; there is no God but Allah, and Allah is the Greatest; Allah is the Greatest and all praise belongs to Allah.
This is a takbeer which is recited repeatedly on the way to and from Eid Prayer. It is also recited for three days following Eid after every prayer. This follows a tradition of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him).
Astaghferullaha Rabbi min kulle zumbin wa atoobo ileh.
I seek forgiveness from Allah for all my sins and turn to Him.
Can be used anytime to ask forgiveness from Allah. It is also repeated after finishing salaat to beg forgiveness for lapses in concentration during salaat. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said it seventy times a day.
Astaghferullah.
I seek forgiveness from Allah.
A shortened version of the above prayer.
Assalamo alaikum wa rahmatullahe wa barakatohu.
Peace be on you and the mercy and blessings of Allah.
This prayer is used by Muslims to greet each other. The shortened version assalamo alaikum can be used also.
Wa alaikum salaam.
And peace be on you too.
This expression is the reply to the above greeting.
Fee amaan Allah.
In the protection of Allah.
You say this when you see anyone off on a journey.
Inshallah.
If Allah so wills.
This should be said when talking of future plans.
Maashallah.
As Allah willed.
This is said when praising a person or object.
Jazakallaho ahsanal jaza.
May Allah reward you the best.
This is the most common form of "thank you." It is said after receiving any kind of favor.
Barakallaho fee ahleka wa maleka.
May Allah bless your family and wealth.
You say this to someone who gives you a gift, a prize or money.
Alhamdo lillah
All praise belongs to Allah.
Yerhamo komullaho.
May Allah be merciful to you.
Yahdeekomullaho.
May He guide you.
These three prayers are used after a person sneezes. The person who has sneezed should say the first one after sneezing. If anyone hears him/her, they should reply with the second one. The person who sneezed then says the third prayer.
Subhana Rabbe yal Aa'la.
Glory to my Lord the most High.
This said is said when in prostration during salaat; when you hear the first verse of Chapter Al Aa'la of the Holy Qur'an recited; and whenever Heaven or Hell are mentioned.
Sajada laka roohi wa janaani.
My spirit and heart prostrate for You.
Some verses of the Holy Qur'an require prostration after their recitation. No ablution is required, and in whatever position or wherever you are, say Allaho akbar and prostrate. Recite subhana Rabbe yal Aa'la three times followed by this prayer. Then lift your head saying Allaho akbar.
Inna lillahe wa inna ilaihe raajeoon.
Surely we belong to Allah and to Him we return.
We say this on hearing of the death of someone. It is also said when trying to find something you have lost, and upon hearing any bad news.
Alaisallaho bekaafin abdohu.
Is Allah not sufficient for His servant?
These words of the Holy Qur'an were revealed to the Promised Messiah (peace be on him) when he was grieving over the death of his father. He had these words inscribed on a ring, and Ahmadi Muslims like to follow this tradition.
Sallaho alaihe wa sallum.
Peace and blessings of Allah be on him.
Whenever you hear the name of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) mentioned, you should say this blessing aloud.
Alaiaihissalaam.
Peace be on him.
This should be said after mention of the name of any prophet of God.
Razi Allaho ta'ala anho/anha.
May Allah be pleased with him/her.
These blessings are said after the mention of the names of the companions of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) or of the Promised Messiah (peace be on him).
Rahmatullahe alaihe.
May Allah have mercy on him.
This is said when referring to Khalifas of the Promised Messiah who are not his companions, and to saints of Islam.
http://www.alislam.org/books/pathwaytoparadise/LAJ-chp5.htm
Mysticism
Sufism or taṣawwuf (Arabic: تصوّف) is, according to its adherents, the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a ṣūfī (صُوفِيّ). Another name for a Sufi is Dervish.
Classical Sufi scholars have defined Sufism as "a science whose objective is the reparation of the heart and turning it away from all else but God."Alternatively, in the words of the Darqawi Sufi teacher Ahmad ibn Ajiba, "a science through which one can know how to travel into the presence of the Divine, purify one’s inner self from filth, and beautify it with a variety of praiseworthy traits."
Classical Sufis were characterised by their attachment to dhikr (a practice of repeating the names of God) and asceticism. Sufism gained adherents among a number of Muslims as a reaction against the worldliness of the early Umayyad Caliphate (661-750 CE). The Sufi movement has spanned several continents and cultures over a millennium, at first expressed through Arabic, then through Persian, Turkish and a dozen other languages."Orders" (ṭuruq), which are either Sunnī or Shī‘ī in doctrine, trace many of their original precepts from the Islamic Prophet Muhammad through his cousin‘Alī, with the notable exception of the Naqshbandi who trace their origins through the first Caliph, Abu Bakr. Other exclusive schools of Sufism describe themselves as distinctly Sufi.
According to Idries Shah, the Sufi philosophy is universal in nature, its roots predating the arising of Islam and the other modern-day religions; likewise, some Muslims consider Sufism outside the sphere of Islam. Mainstream scholars of Islam, however, contend that it is simply the name for the inner or esoteric dimension of Islam.
A particular spirituality
Islamic spirituality is totally based on One God, which in Arabic language refers to Almighty Allah. Arab Jews, Arab Christians and Arab Muslims equally use the name of Almighty Allah alike. With mounting tension between Arabs and Zionist communities, many Jews have immigrated to Jewish state of Israel where Hebrew names for Allah refers to Elohim. Similarly, in Persia, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh (Almighty) Allah is often translated or referred as Qhuda, which is a Persian word for The God. In totality, all Muslims would use (Almighty) Allah, as a Qur’anic world for The God and none among them would have any reason to differ. Thus Muslims believe in One God (Allah) Who is One, Who begets not, Who is not begotten, Who is without any partner, Who Created whole universe, Who is The Master of the Day of Judgement, Who gives life and takes life, Who is Omnipotent and all of us shall return to Him for the final judgement on our fate. Almighty Allah is The God of first man Adam (PBUH) and The God of whole Mankind and Universe. Thus Islamic spirituality begins with "I bear witness that there is no deity worth of worshipping other than The God (Allah) Who is One – Who has no partner – and I bear witness that Muhammad (SAW) is His (Beloved) Servant and (Last) Messenger".
With reference to The Last Testament, the Muslim spiritual reads, recites, understands and strives to mould him / her as per the commands of Almighty Alloh. The basic spirituality starts with the following verse, which encompasses the level spirituality step by step: The detailed discussion on Islamic spirituality is in Chapter 07 - The Spiritual Intelligence.
Alif Laam Meem: This scripture (The Qur’an) is infallible; beacons for the righteous; who believe in the unseen, observe the Contact Prayers (Salat Al Qhamisa), and from our provisions to them, they give to charity. And they believe in what was revealed to you (Oh Muhammad), and in what was revealed before you (Torah, Psalm and Gospel), and with regard to the Hereafter (after the day of Judgement), they are absolutely certain. These are guided by their Lord; these are the winners (in this world and The Hereafter) {The Qur’an – Surah Al Baqarah (Chapter: The Heifer) 02: 01 – 05}.
Islamic spirituality is based upon the conviction that what appears to us as mystery revealed itself as being Almighty One God (Almighty Alloh). The Last Testament Qur'an is this revelation. The Qur'an instructs us in the foundational importance of awareness of “The God” and the proper response to His Almighty. The Sunnah lifestyle or practice, of The Last Messenger Muhammad (SAW) expresses and exemplifies this Qur'anic awareness of, and response to Almighty Alloh within actual, historical, phenomenal reality. This is the soul, heart and foundation of Islamic spirituality. The Last Messenger and Last Prophet: Muhammad (SAW) is considered to be a "Walking Qur'an".
Islamic spirituality fosters Alloh’s-consciousness, called Taquwa (Piety), in and through all daily activities in addition to activities we usually identify as Rouhaaniah(spiritual) such as belief in One God, Contact Prayers, fasting, Pilgrimage and charity. It shuns any extremes. The religion of The God (Alloh) is Islam (Peace), which envisages for Mankind and Jinnkind obedience for his life as a whole, for the material world as well as for the spiritual world. The word "Islam" means "submission to the will of Almighty Alloh " from where one attains peace of mind materially and spiritually. Sometimes it is also referred as Peace (within and with Almighty Alloh). It is thus not even a religion as we usually think of the term. It is more of an existential way-of-being in this finish-able worldly life. Both aspects of life combined form the backbone of a believer and there is no gap between the two; otherwise a man shall wonder in wilderness of this life half hungry, half hopeful and undecided of his certainty for the life wherever it matters. But there is no denying the fact that owing to differences of individual temperaments, certain people would specialize in certain specialties and not in others though they would never be aloof of other parts, which remains a dormant part of their life. Even if one were to concentrate on the spiritual side of one's existence, he would still remain more or less attached to the other occupations of life for his day to day nourishments, for the sake of self-strength, societal obligations and to provide for the path of Almighty Alloh by helping the needy of the society. Materialism would not be seen as a dominant aspect of the life but its existence would form a very part of such people, otherwise they could cease to exist. What matters to them is what is necessary for the life and luxury hardly touches their interest. Thus the most important aspect of an Islamic spiritual life is to impart a preventive relief to sustain day to day life before an incident or disaster so that such events are prevented as well as to be ready for a relief aftermath of such events so that the needy servants of Almighty Alloh are not left alone but find comfort and assistance from their fellow brothers and humans with in a society.
Islamic spirituality does not gauge its development and growth upon subjective experience, but on the degree to which one abides with The Last Testament Qur’an,Sunnah Al Mu’akki’dah and on optional basis Sunnah Al A’daat. Evil is that which iscontra to “The Qur'an” and Sunnah- it has nothing to do with subjective experiences of pleasure or pain, laughter or tears, nor does it have to do with social experiences such as riches or poverty. All of these social and subjective states are somewhat equivalent in Islam. They all originate by the will of Almighty Alloh for the purpose of testing the Muslim's use of freedom. The Muslim submits to the will of Almighty Alloh with patience.
Islamic spirituality encourages science and scholarship in that “The Qur'an” repeatedly exhorts humanity to observe the signs of Almighty Alloh in creation, in history, and in one's self. It also encourages social activism. That is, jihad- the struggle of good against evil. Any Jihad, which creates terror in the non-combatant, non-aggressive civilian society, is never a Jihad but a blatant terrorism and Muslim scholars must condemn such activity with the cooperation of their governments and peace loving public.
“The Qur'an” is more than a book of laws, but a tool for spiritual advancement, moral advancement and clinical therapy for the sick.
http://www.qamrulkhanson.net/page_1142629157300.html
Peace-makers in the world
- Henry David Thoreau
- Mahatma Gandhi
- Matin Luther King Jr
- Anderson Sa
- Mother Teresa
- Thich Nhat Hanh
- Colman McCarthy
- Oscar Arias
- Bruno Hussar
- Desmond Tutu
- Riane Eisler
- The Dalai Lama
- Henry Salt
- Albert Schweitzer
- Jane Goodall
- Rachel Carson
- David Suzuki
- Nader Khalili
- Wangari Maathai
http://www.greatpeacemakers.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=39